Seety have beat Google somewhat to the table with a pretty comprehensive coverage of central London using street based panoramic imagery.
Navigation is nice, although not quite as smooth as Googles own street view product, the main question we have to ask is why? Its well known that Google is currently driving the streets of Europe capturing imagery and with it bound to be a default layer in a few months you have to ask why anyone else would do it?
London UK street level views, but not from Google from Brian Norman on Vimeo.
Licencing and use of imagery maybe a factor - Seety is being used by Earthware (a company worth watching) in the the latest version of our Earthware Property real estate mapping solution. The movie above demonstrates Seety imagery within the Earthware interface.
However with open use of the Google API we assume that property searches will make copious use of street view as soon as its available and where does that leave Seety (?)
Lots of questions we know...
See http://www.earthware.co.uk/ and http://www.seety.co.uk/ for more info and demos.
Unfortunately, Seety will lose out in the end. Not only because Google have the money and technology to blow them out of the water, but they have let themselves down in the design of their own interface. Its just too fiddily to use. Google is straight-forward and easy to navigate.
ReplyDeleteI found Seetys design awkward and because the street-view obscures the main map, you dont know where you are going most of the time. Pointless.
Google has the pick-up and go factor. I was easily walking about central Madrid (my home city) in no time. The roads clearly maked as I walked along, the camera view moved around flawlessly, with no hanging. The option to move your position, is also simple and clever. Pick up the stick-man and move him anywhere you want. Seety have pipped Google to the post this time, but as history dictates, pioneers are the first, but never the best.
Just go try it for yourself.
Well Done Seety
ReplyDeleteThey have an advantage over Google which they can always exercise if they wish to.
With Google, I have to wait for them to come to my street, BUT Seety may like to offer to create and cover areas with the help of people like me.
Seety Are you listening !
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